Invisible
by Perfection's Scream
Summary: She still had a piece of him, even if he hadn't seen his daughter in three months. Jemma.  A little Palex
1. Butterfly

**Invisible**

**Chapter 1**

**Authors Notes:**_This is one of several promo chapters to see which picks up the most interest. The one with the most will become a full fledged story, the others will be deleted and forgotten about. These promo chapters are meant to be short, so keep in mind that the actual chapters for the story would be much longer. In essence, these are teasers. (I keep __important information_ _on my user profile, so you may want to look at that)_

All that he wanted was for her to trust him. To want him. The fear in her eyes was enough to keep him away though. Now, years later, that fear had turned to hate.

Emma Nelson was never meant to be just another victory. He wanted to keep her for himself. To never let her go.

His mind flashed back to the times when he was young. His mother would watch him dart around the yard, catching butterflies. He smirked. That's right. Jay Hogart used to catch butterflies. He was damn proud of it too.

His mother would always make him let them go in the end. "It wasn't right to keep such a beautiful thing caged against it's will."

It wasn't right to make Emma stay if she didn't want to. After all, Jay didn't blame her. He was his own worst enemy.

He flicked his cigarette to the ground. Yeah, this life had taken it's toll alright.

Still though, he kept searching himself for the right thing to say. He glanced about The Dot, before looking back at her. He felt invisible.

"If you want to hate me, it's okay," he finally whispered. Emma's eyes squinted as she continued to stare at him. He searched desperately for an answer. His silence echoed back at him. 

Finally, after several moments, she spoke. "I don't hate you Jay," she said, tossing a few dollars down for the tip and grabbing her purse. She stood, turning to him, her honey blond hair swaying. She gave him a long hard look, before letting herself wander away from the familiar cafe.

He watched her get into her car, driving away. He still felt invisible though. He sighed. When your invisible, everything seems to slip through your grasp.

She still had a piece of him though. Even though he hadn't seen his daughter in three months, he still loved both of them like hell.

Even if he couldn't hold them.


	2. Without You

**Invisible**

**Chapter 2-Without You**

**Authors Notes: **_**So in the end, this got a better response than Lullaby, so I will do a full story with this one. The teaser chapter will be "chapter 1" just for the sake of convenience. **_

_**SPOILER WARNING-From reports I've gotten of the ending of season 6, theres a bit of a spoiler warning on something with Alex, but my story line doesn't follow anything involving Emma in season 6. **__**So to explain if your confused, when I say "Alex did " that is the only spoiler. The rest of my story isn't real in the story lines of s6. Kay?**_

_**So the setting of my story, I'd put Jay and Emma and others around 20-21, following the respected age differences.**_

_**Also, this story features a few mentions of PALEX, but no details about it. They're mentioned as a couple, but I don't describe it. But I suppose if the majority wants a little palex romance as a b plot I'll think about it.**_

He sighed , realizing he'd let her walk out on him for the millionth time. Glancing into the window from The Dot, from the outside dining area he sighed. Spinner gazed back at him, eyebrows raised. Feeling frustrated, Jay grabbed the bill and headed up to pay.

The Dot had really changed. They'd gotten more...formal, kind of. They'd gotten waitresses and waiters and what not, but the main customers were still teenagers. Jay fumbled with the wallet inside his pocket, leaning slightly at the cash register. He hated change. Why everything couldn't stay the same forever, he had no idea.

Then again maybe thats why everything was changing. He was still the same Jay Hogart as he had always been. Just a little older. He paid the bill, taking his keys from his pocket and heading to the parking lot.

Passing Alex on his way out he mumbled an awkward hello. She said nothing though, and continued to do her job waitressing. Her anger had been growing these past few years. No matter what he did she still seemed to hate him. Maybe everyone hated him.

He climbed into his car, twisting the keys into the ignition. Spinner and Sean wouldn't even fucking talk to him now. He slammed his arms onto the steering wheel, without a single sound coming from the horn as expected. Damn car wouldn't start again. He groaned, wrenching his seat backwards and climbing out.

Kicking the car, he brought a hand to his forehead. Just once. Just once, why couldn't something go right? He swung the door back, letting it click shut. He glanced around him, settling on walking the short six blocks to his apartment.

It wasn't exactly home sweet home. It was actually more like a rundown apartment complex where rent was only around four hundred a month..for a one bedroom anyway. Entering the apartment, he glanced down at his answering machine, receiving the usual answer. Nothing.

He actually quite liked nothing at first, he thought to himself, kicking back onto the couch. He glanced at the small TV across from him reluctantly. His cable had been cut off two weeks ago.

He had a habit of quitting his jobs without a backup plan. Lighting a cigarette, he let himself slump into the battered blue couch.

Actually, considering todays events, maybe he just had a habit of quitting when it got tough. That's why Emma left him after all, wasn't it?

Emma. His mind seemed to linger on her. Taking a long drag, he held the smoke before letting it escape in a single breath.

She'd actually been quite annoying at first, and awkward looking. Until that duckling became a swan, the environment was the hot topic with her. These days though, she wouldn't even talk to him, so maybe the environment was back to being the hot topic.

There probably wasn't going to be any hope for reconciliation. He'd already used his get out of jail free card. He gave Emma an STD and she forgave him, after a few long months, some begging, and some tossing around from that bastard Sean.

Sean. Jay snorted, finishing his cigarette. He crushed it into the dirty ashtray that set atop the table beside the couch. What a waste of breath these days. Actually, Sean was how he won Emma over in the first place.

He'd tried to get back with Alex, seeing how Emma just let Sean back into her life as quick as he could ring the doorbell. Alex. Let's just say at least Alex got out of that hell hole. Stripping wasn't a way of life. Sean certainly thought it was though, and cheated on Emma with Alex.

Alex still couldn't choose between girls and boys though, Jay smirked. He remembered how Alex had dumped Sean and gone running back to Paige.

He jumped when she was down. Which probably wasn't right, but oh well. He and Emma actually had a pretty good relationship. If Sean hadn't of cheated on her, Jay and Emma would have never gotten together.

So maybe he owed Sean something. Maybe a good punch in the face for hurting her. Jay laughed quietly tilting his head back and letting it rest on the hard arm of the couch.

This. This is exactly why he couldn't sleep at night. He groaned. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Emma was never supposed to get pregnant, freak out and dump him. He had given her a good reason to freak out though, he debated with himself.

Right before she had Lindsey she'd let him in a little bit. Just to slam the door in his face and tell him to get the fuck away from her leave her alone.

He got to see Lindsey when she was born, that was it. Three long months. He and Emma had gone out to dinner twice in three months, went for ice cream once, and then to The Dot today. He'd seen Emma four times in three months. Hey, at least he could average just over once a month. He asked her to bring Lindsey, the first time.

She refused though, having Spike watch her. He wasn't sure why Emma wouldn't bring her around. It's not like he was going to break her, or lose her or something like that.

Hell, he could barely remember what the kid looked like. He tried to give Emma money once, for Lindsey. She threw it back at him and told him she didn't want any dirty bribes. He didn't do it again after that. He wasn't trying to pay Emma to let him see Lindsey.

He just wanted to help her out.

His thinking lulled him to sleep, his hand drifting off the couch and dangling towards the floor.


	3. Glass

**Invisible**

**Chapter 3-Glass**

_He pushed the heavy oak door, slinking through it. The whole place looked rather solemn and forbidding. The nurse at the desk had stopped him, but once he gave them Emma's name she let him pass. Even gave him directions to the newborn room, where he could look through the window._

_He closed his eyes when he reached the window, almost unwilling to look. He pulled his eyes apart, with force equal to the jaws of life, and looked inside the room, searching. She was there. Wrapped in a pink blanket, with a little pink cap on it. He frowned. Maybe the teddy bear he'd given Emma for her was still in the room, maybe they hadn't put it in with her yet._

_Little hairs stuck out from under the fuzzy pink cap. Brown, like his. She was sleeping, wasn't even crying. God she was beautiful. Forgetting about the glass, Jay reached forward slightly, but as his palm felt the window pane, he stopped, letting it rest gently atop it._

_He couldn't even touch her. A hand came down on top of his, "What are you doing here?" Manny asked cruelly. "I just," Jay started, looking from Manny to the baby, "What's her name?" he asked finally._

_Biting her lip, she felt pity for him. "Lindsey," Manny whispered, glancing around. Jay nodded, choking back his tears. Manny sighed. _

"_Look, Jay, Emma's sleeping. And if Spike or Snake come out and see you," Manny started. Jay nodded, "I know." He swallowed hard, wrenching his eyes away from the window._

With that, Jay Hogart woke up. He glanced around the musty living room. Pathetic. The only time he'd seen his daughter, he'd snuck in to see her. And now karma was punishing him, by replaying that memory in his dreams, on repeat.

He swallowed hard, reaching for the abandoned pack of cigarettes on the table beside the ash tray. He flipped it open, sighing. "Damn," he whispered. He was out of cigarettes. Sighing, he glanced to the quarter that lay lonely on the floor.

After crawling around for nearly two hours, he'd managed to scrape up just enough change for a pack of cigarettes. Jamming it into his pocket, he headed for the door. Shutting it, a flash of yellow caught his eye.

Ripping it off his door as he read it, he groaned. An Eviction notice. He should have guessed. He hadn't paid rent in two months.

He glanced down the hall at the sound of slammed door. His landlord, Mayella. He sighed. Obviously, there'd be no persuading her this month. He opened the door to his apartment after a moment, glancing about it. There was a stove, a refrigerator, a couch, an old TV,and some of his clothes. Probably a few dishes and whatever was in the bathroom. He frowned. Heading to the bedroom, he grabbed the last black garbage bag, meant for a five gallon can, and proceeded to stuff what clothes he could into it. Carrying a hoodie in his arms, the contents of the bag consisted of three t shirts, two pairs of jeans, and two pairs of boxers. He couldn't find a match for any of the socks, so he had shoved a few in.

He had three weeks to get out, but today was as good as ever, he figured, slinging the black garbage bag over his shoulder. Maybe he'd live in his car.

Out the complex he went, headed back to the dot. It wasn't a long walk, but god seemed to want it to be difficult. Each of his friends entered his mind for several moments. Well, friends, acquaintances. People he knew at least.

Tracker. Off to jail after he'd been caught with more stolen goods.

Manny. At least she was loyal to Emma. Emma needed a friend. Manny was alright. As far as he knew, Manny got signed to an acting agency, but still lived with Emma. Starving artists law.

Sean. Sean moved back with his parents after he'd been caught cheating on Emma. He blamed Jay, for the events leading to Emma catching him, so they weren't friends anymore.

Spinner. Spinner was seeing some girl a few hours away. He was usually out there, and worked at the dot occasionally. Funny, the girl he was dating lived in Sean's town. That's probably why he and Jay didn't speak anymore.

Darcy. Hazel. Jimmy. Ashley. Marco. Paige. Alex. Liberty. Toby. Fuck, even JT. JT was gone though.

Jay sighed, throwing the bag of clothes into his car.

"What are you doing?" Mia asked, as she stood outside the dot, holding Bellas hand. . She cocked her head at him.

Mia. Jay sighed. Recently, Mia was one of the only people who didn't seem to hate him. Maybe she'd used up all that hate last time she was mad at him. They had reconciled after JT died though. Things were alright, but they didn't talk often.

"Moving in to my new place, you like?" he joked, gesturing to his car. Mia frowned. "Do you need a place to stay?" she asked. She glanced to Bella, who was currently occupied with a grasshopper next to the sidewalk. She was almost done with Kindergarten now.

Jay sighed. He did. JT would be rolling in his grave though. He frowned, as a thought crossed his mind. He could help Mia out with Bella, until he found a job. Maybe Emma might let him see Lindsey, if she saw he did okay with Bella. He knew Mia and Emma talked.

Conscious getting the better of him though, he swallowed hard, "JT," he shook his head.

Mia sighed, rolling her eyes, "Is gone. Thank you for reminding me. How many years has it been now?"

Jay nodded, admitting his wrong. "I don't have a job," he said finally. Mia nodded, "I can talk to some people. I work days, well Bella's at school. I pay a sitter for the three hours until I get home from work. You can watch her until I get home from work. It'd pay for your half of the rent."

Jay sighed, "Mia why are you doing this?" he asked reluctantly.

Mia shrugged, "Honestly Jay, I don't know. Maybe it's the mother in me, but we don't hate each other, and you need a place to stay."

Jay sighed, shaking his head. "I won't free load forever, I'll start looking for a job. And I won't stay long," he said reluctantly. He felt like he was taking advantage of Mia. He couldn't turn down a place to stay though.

Mia nodded. 


	4. Nicotene

**Invisible**

**Chapter 4-Nicotine**

**Authors notes:** _This would have been updated two weeks ago. But for some reason, it uploaded as a blank document, and I had already deleted it from my computer. Yeah, I said a lot of bad words. But yeah, anyway, this is the same chapter that would have been uploaded, just worded differently and retyped. _

He glanced around. A pale yellow couch sat in front of a TV. Mia did alright for herself, Jay decided, as he glanced around, making note of the homey atmosphere Mia's house had.

He knew she'd been renting a house for a few years now, but he'd never been over here. "I'll move Bella's stuff to my room, and you can sleep in her room," Mia grunted, setting the heavy child on the couch, and pulling her socks and shoes off.

"I'll sleep on the couch Mia, really. Thank you though. I won't stay long. Just until I get on my feet," he said firmly.

Mia glanced from the spot where she was kneeling on the floor. She stared for a moment, before she finally nodded. "Alright," she said, a hand running itself through her wild brown curls.

Bella giggled on the floor, a coloring book open on the coffee table. The crayons lay beside it, battered and broken. She looked exactly like Mia. She pressed hard on the paper, with a stumpy red crayon, before turning the page to a fresh paper. Donald Duck glared back at Jay, mocking him.

Jay sighed, remembering the change in his pocket. "I'm gonna go get a pack of ciggs," he said, glancing to Mia for approval.

Her lips twisted in displeasure, "Don't smoke them in the house." Jay nodded, turning on his heel and heading out the house. He jammed his hands into his pockets as he walked. She turned to Bella, watching her color for a bit. Perhaps when Jay got back, she would be able to take a nice long bath. She hadn't done that in almost five years. The idea seemed crazy to the young mom, as she chuckled, setting Bella's shoes by the door.

Emma. The honey haired anguish creator. He sighed, frustratingly, as gravel rocks skidded under his shoes.

"_You only think about yourself," she screeched as she whipped another shirt at him. "Myself?" he hollered, standing as the shirt smacked against him, cascading to the floor._

"_You can't just come in and out my life when it suits you," she said, shaking her head in that way she always did, "Our lives," she corrected herself, glancing down to her growing stomach._

"_Em," he said, taking a deep breath and biting his lip, in that was that he always did. It was all rather predictable._

"_No," she said impatiently, "You made your choice Jay." "Emma," he said, his voice pleading with her._

_She whipped another shirt at him, pressing her fingers to her temples as she lowered herself on the couch. He tears bubbled._

"_Emma, I'd never have done it if upset you that much. I just, I don't know what to do. I mean, I'm not ready to be a dad," he said finally, his eyes darting about, waiting for her response._

"_Jay, I'm just, mad," she admitted finally, her arms falling to her knees. The laundry was thrown about the living room, and she sighed._

"_Mad? Emma, I proposed to Mel, way before you and I got together, and when we broke up, that was the end of it, I swear," he said, still shaking his head._

"_Jay, I know. But, you should have just told me that you loved her," Emma said, avoiding his eyes._

"_I don't love her," he spat angrily, letting his hands rise to the ceiling and fall against his legs again._

"_Did you?" Emma asked, holding her breath._

"_At one point, yeah," Jay admitted, exhaling for her. She shook her head, her face tearful now._

"_I don't anymore though, you can love more than one person in a lifetime Emma," he barked at her, causing her sobs to grow harder._

"_Jay, just stop. Knock it off," Spike yelled. She'd walked between them now, abandoning her dishes. _

"_No. No, Spike, you knock it the hell off. Your always butting in," he yelled, giving her a shove. She flew several feet, hitting the floor on her butt. Her hands hit to, and she grimaced. She'd hit the floor rather hard._

"_Jay!" Emma shrieked, running to her mothers aide, "Get out. Just get out now!" she yelled, as Jay had already slammed the door._

He promised himself, that that was the worst moment of his life. He'd never meant to do it, he just got caught up in the moment. He grunted, wrenching open the door of the gas station.

Little by little, he seemed to become everything he hated, didn't he?

He waited in line, stewing in his own thoughts. His impatience was stretched, as he noticed he was the fourth in line. All he was craving was a cigarette.

Reaching the counter, he sighed, smacking the change onto the counter. The silver clanged against it loudly.

"A pack of Newports," he said, glancing to the little racks of random things as the cashier turned to get his cigarettes.

There were several light up pens, candy bars, but his eyes stopped on a rack of Crayola crayons. He paused, glancing down at the change. He had exactly enough for a pack of cigarettes, and that was it. Tossing the idea around a bit, he cleared his throat, picking a pack of crayons and setting it beside the change.

"Actually, just these, never mind about the ciggs," he said, wincing at his voice. The cashier raised an eyebrow, scanning the crayons and counting out the money from his change. Jay grabbed the rest of the change, throwing it into his pocket. Scooping up the crayons, he headed out the door.

His brain screamed at him, craving it's nicotine obsession. Yet, clenched in his hands were sixteen different colors of wax, encased in a cardboard box.

He wrestled with his brain to stop, as he trudged his way back to Mia's house. It had started to rain, and the gravel flew up, sticking to his damp pants legs.

He stuffed the crayons into his pocket too, so they wouldn't get wet.


	5. Boxing

**Invisible**

**Chapter 5-Boxing**

**Authors notes:** _Thanks Lisa, I didn't know! Haha. Sorry it's been awhile you guys. I'm hoping these next few weeks I'll have a little bit of a chance to write more. Sorry this chapter is so SHORT. _

He grunted a hello at Mia as he trudged through the door, and she smiled warmly. She glanced hesitantly down to Bella, before glancing back at him as if deciding against something.

"I'm gonna stop by the dot and bring it home for dinner tonight," Mia murmured. Nodding, Jay sat on the couch, staring at Bella.

Coming to a realization, he panicked. "Oh, you want me to," he grunted, pointing at Bella. Mia bit her lip, before nodding, "Yeah, yeah." She rose a hand to her face through her thick brown hair, chuckling. "But if you don't or, I mean," she stuttered.

"No it's fine," Jay said, flashing a reassuring smile. Mia nodded, grabbing her keys and stealing another look at Bella before shuffling out the door.

Glancing to see if she had gone, Jay withdrew the crayons from his pocket, tossing them atop the coffee table towards Bella. "Here," he grunted again, staring at her.

Bella glanced to the crayons, a wide smile on her face. She looked up at Jay, her small eyes twinkling. Jay swallowed hard. Did Lindsey's eyes shine like that? Avoiding eye contact with the girl, he turned the TV on, flipping through.

"Thank you," Bella said sweetly, her voice angelic. Jay looked from the corner of his eyes back at her, grunting again.

"Your grumpy mister. Do you need a nap?" Bella asked, a pout on her face. She was identical to her mother.

Jay glared at her.

"Your supposed to say, your welcome Mr. Sockem," Bella clarified, her hands on her hips. Jay squinted, "Who the he-Who is Mr. Sockem?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bella's eyes lit up again, as she ran to the television, grabbing a purple videotape and cramming it into the old VCR beside it. A sock puppet appeared on the screen, singing a song about how to wash your hands.

Jay stared. Bella sang along, clapping her hands.

"Jesus christ," Jay mumbled, shutting the VCR off with the remote. "Heyy," Bella whined, turning towards him.

He shook his head, "At least watch something good." He pressed buttons on the old remote until a boxing match appeared on the screen.

Bella stared at the TV, cocking her head.

"He's hairy," she giggled, pointing to one of the fighting men.

Jay grunted, nodding, "Yeah, well your hairy. Now sit down and watch this."

Bella blinked, confused as she obeyed, returning her attentions to the boxing match.

After what seemed like several moments, her voice piped up again.

"I am not hairy," she clarified, still craning her neck to watch the TV.

Jay glanced over to her wild brown curls, reaffirming his statement as he continued to watch TV.

"You gonna use those crayons?" he asked quietly, losing interest in the match.

"I have no one to color with," Bella said matter of factly, still watching the boxing match.

"You were coloring by yourself just a minute ago," he argued.

"Nuh-uh," Bella argued back, glaring at him.

He snorted, glancing to the coloring book. "Okay, how about I color with you?" he asked.

"Okay, you color donald duck, and I'll color daisy duck," she said happily, clambering over to the coloring book and ripping a page out. She handed it to Jay, who sat across from her at the coffee table.

Emma fumed, as she slammed the empty baby bottle down, waking the sleeping baby. Lindsey wailed, as Emma sighed, picking her up and bouncing her.

"I can't believe him," she said over the babies loud cries. She glared at Manny. Manny raised a hand, "I saw it though Emma. I saw it."

"Does Mia know, he shoved my mother?" Emma asked, shaking her head.

Manny shrugged. Emma's last comment hadn't been particularly clear.

"I don't know, I mean, Jay was leaving her house. It doesn't mean anything Emma," Manny argued, sipping her drink.

Emma rolled her eyes, looking aghast, "Manny! I don't care if it means anything. I am so over Jay,"she argued, laying Lindsey back into her crib.

Manny shook her head, "Coulda fooled me, miss lunch date," she accused, raising an eyebrow.

Emma scoffed.

"Besides, Jay wouldn't go for Mia," Emma argued.

Manny shrugged, "I don't know," she said slowly, referring to Jay's past.

Emma sighed, shaking her head.

"Besides Em, he was just leaving her house, it doesn't mean anything," Manny said.

Emma snorted, "Funny, that's what Sean said when I saw him leaving Alex's house."

"Isn't Alex back with Paige?" Manny asked suddenly.

"Well obviously, you think Sean would stay with her?" Emma asked, her face looking rather guilty for saying something so mean.


	6. Sleepless

**Invisible**

**Chapter 6**

**authors notes:** _for the sake of this story, Jay and Mia did know each other before JTs death_

Jay decided anger was a rather tangible feeling at two in the morning, when he woke up. The stiff underboards of Mia's couch jabbed him and prevented his mind from lulling himself to sleep.

He coughed slightly, his spine rigid against them. He had a right to be angry. He worked so hard to try and build himself a life, and so fast it had been taken from him.

His mind lingered on the smell scent of honey, as he glanced to a shadow that moved from the hallway.

Sitting up, he glanced to the moving darkness. Mia peered back.

"Sorry, I have trouble sleeping sometimes," she mumbled, a hand to her head. She took baby steps past him, past the couch, sitting on the love seat opposite the coffee table.

Jay said nothing, choosing simply to stare. She had on a pair of loose work out shorts, and a long sleeved shirt on. The shirt was made of black material. Those things called long johns, which Jay simply knew because his mother had made him wear them everyday under his clothes through elementary schools.

"So I take it your fixing your car tomorrow," Mia said, a finger grazing her kneecap as she sighed.

Jay was quiet, his eyes scanning the room. He nodded, "Got to," he said finally, clearing his throat.

Mia nodded, accepting his answer.

"Jay do you," Mia swallowed, "Ever think that maybe if we all would have done things a little differently, that things wouldn't have ended up like this?"

Jay frowned. What was she referring to?

Scanning his brain, he came across a shoe box of memories, and began mentally digging through to it.

Rest assured, he decided she must be talking about last time. Jay had never exactly liked JT. He tolerated him, when the situation presented itself.

For awhile though, Pre-Emma, Jay had a thing for Mia. She was this exotic looking thing, real as they come, and honest eyes. He'd watched her from afar with Bella, though never dared to get close.

Mia was the kind of girl who was like a puzzle, and Jay was sure there were pieces missing.

One day, he came across her, sitting rather grounded on the steps of Degrassi. She was quiet, her eyes lost somewhere else.

"_What do you have to mope about?" Jay asked. For the life of him, he couldn't figure it out. The girl had everything._

_She shook her head, "You wouldn't understand," she said softly. Maybe that day he should have listened. For he surely didn't know the turmoil behind her eyes._

_Her answer plagued him, and he shook his head finally, nearly missing her hand as he continued his trudge up the steps._

That had been his chance. If he'd have just listened, Mia would have been his. Yet, thank god he didn't listen. For then, he never would have come across Emma, sitting just as mopingly on the bench in front of the window. That was the day Sean had told her he'd been cheating on her.

He'd always had a soft spot for Mia though.

"What's wrong?" he asked finally, clearing his throat. "I mean, why can't you sleep?" he said as an after thought.

Mia smiled, a nervous chuckle, "I just. Everyday. For years now. I just think about what would happen if I'd have been by his side. But then, everyday, I wonder, about...I just wonder," she said finally.

Jay's eyes blinked, as he consumed the information. He had no clue what she wondered about, but she obviousley wasn't going to tell him.

"Mia, uhh, sometimes," he paused to lick his lips, "It's okay to wonder," he said, offering a comforting smile.

Mias mind drifted back to the moment Toby had told her JT was still in love with Liberty.

"What was wrong that day?" Jay asked suddenly.

Mia caught her breath as she broke out of thought. "What?" she asked, confused.

"That day, you were almost crying on the steps. And I asked what you had to mope about," Jay asked again.

Mia frowned, thinking back to the day. "I was thinking about JT," she said finally.

"JT was already dead then," Jay responded.

Mia turned to him, an innocent blink.

"Sometimes, you got to move on. Even if you don't want to, you just got to move on, when you know it's right," he said, trying to help her.

Mia nodded, "And how do you know when its right to move on?" she asked softly.

Jay thought for a moment. Perhaps Emma really never would forgive him. Yet she was still on his mind, He was the worst person for that question. He still didn't know when it was time to move on.

"Good night Jay," was the last thing he heard Mia mumble before she disapeared back down the hallway.

He blinked, trying to comprehend the situation. He struggled with himself, deciding he'd go to Emmas first thing in the morning.

Two wrongs never made a right. But he was a mechanic. He could fix anything he damn well pleased if he tried hard enough.

His breathing was shallow, as his body struggled back, sinking into the couch. Maybe he'd bring Bella. Then Emma would see how responsible he was. After all, he made that deal with Mia. To watch Bella.

It honestly couldn't be that hard to watch a toddler. A baby would be even easier, he thought to himself drifting off finally.

Across town, a certain blonde lay awake also, her arms clutched to her chest. Lindsey was sleeping for once. Although Emma was tired, she knew it was simply her body that craved rest. Raising a baby alone wasn't exactly an easy task.

She used to wish Jay would be around to help, but now she just lay bitterly, thinking about it. She didn't need his help. She'd show him. After today, she had a feeling he was going to fight her every step of the way.

At least he was still trying to make that so out of reach right he was always trying to make, she huffed to herself as she stared at the ceiling.


	7. Quietly

**Invisible**

**Chapter 7**

"Maybe you should eat something," Manny mumbled, stuffing a forkful of scrambled eggs into her mouth. Her eyes groggily strained to read the back of a cereal box.

Emma said nothing, continuing to stare at the empty spot on the table before her. She'd woken up earlier this morning to Lindey's cries, responding by feeding and changing her. She had just gotten her to go back to sleep an hour ago.

"I'm not hungry," Emma mumbled, leaving the table. She padded over to the couch, her body nearly throwing itself onto It and she flipped on the television.

Manny was silent a moment. Emma had done really well with the eating thing lately. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed the issue. She shuffled the food around on her plate in thought.

"Let's go," Jay urged. An overtly hyper Bella flailed on his left hand.

"I have to go potty," she whined. She scuffed one tiny reebok sneaker with the other, as she made an urgent face.

Jay stared, "You just went when we left the house!" He glanced around. They'd managed to walk five, maybe six blocks. There were only two blocks until Emma's.

"I have to go again," Bella sighed, frustrated with him.

Jay grunted, "Fine! Fine," he looked around. Their current location was in front of Jeremiah motors. He sighed, slapping one hand on his face. This was really great. It was.

"Nowow," Bella whined.

Jay grunted, tugging the toddler through the cars. He opened the door to the small shop at the end of the miniature lot.

Joey glanced up, ready to offer a cheerful hello. He stopped though, his gaze meeting Jay. The smile stayed though, until his gaze traveled down to Bella, in which his smile became confused.

He peered at Bella, staying seated at his desk.

"Good morning Jay," he said finally.

Jay grunted, "Morning Joey," he then jabbed his finger at Bella, "Do you uh, have a bathroom."

Joey nodded, pointing his finger to a door slightly behind him.

Bella let go of her grip of Jay's hand and bounded into the bathroom.

"Who uh," Joey asked, shaking his head.

"She's not mine, she's Mia's," Jay explained.

Joey Jeremiah raised an eyebrow. His curious look lingered on Jay a moment, as he took a deep breath, setting his pen atop his paper work.

"Look Jay, I'm not your father or anything, but, you just have to be careful. Emma's not gonna see it the way you do," Joey said gently.

The top corners of Jay's lips began to curl, and he conciousley stopped them. A fake smile resulted. "Thanks Joey," he said as Bella came bounding out of the bathroom, "I'm just helping Mia out for the day."

Joey nodded as the pair turned their backs on him, exiting the car lot.

"Who was that?" Bella questioned, her hand swinging Jay's as they continued to walk to Emma's.

"Joey. He's Angie's dad," Jay explained. Sometimes Mia watched Angie for Joey. Bella was just barely five though, and Angie was ready to turn eight.

At that second, Jay had the feeling time was kind of flying by him and no matter how many times he tried to catch it, he really was always just a second too late.

His mind began to nervousley rack over what to say to Emma.

It all came screeching to a halt though, as he realized Emma's door was two feet in front of his face, and Bella was happily jamming her finger against the doorbell.

He should have asked her to give him a minute. He cringed at the child's antics, and silently prayed Emma wasn't home.

Manny opened the door thankfully, Jack bouncing on her hip. Jack was in his terrible two's, and he shrieked wildly as he grabbed at Manny's hair.

She wove her head away from him, her eyes wide as she looked at Jay. Her gaze traveled to Bella, and she made a gurgling sound in her throat as she tried to clear it.

"Jay," she smiled meekly, swallowing.

"Manny!" Emma yelped from behind her.

Manny moved to the side, as Emma came to the door, an eyebrow cooly raised at the pair.

"What?" she asked Jay. She smiled, waving at Bella. Her face then returned to anger as she looked at Jay.

Jay caught Manny's eye over Emma's shoulder as she wandered back to the kitchen.

Jay had already decided what he was doing if this was her reaction.

"Emma. I'm babysitting Bella for the day, but tonight, I'd like to take you out to dinner," he said. The words gushed out of his mouth like pus from an open sore. He cringed.

Caught of guard, Emma's mouth opened, before she shook her head shutting it again.

She let her eyes linger on Jay a minute, before staring at Bella.

Manny, hearing the conversation from her eavesdropping place in the kitchen, let a slow breath hiss out of her mouth. Emma was in limbo. There was no telling which direction this was going to go.

Emma seemingly played a mental game of ping pong ball. Lindsey's crys from the bedroom interrupted her thoughts. Her head spun, glancing upstairs.

"Got it!" Manny yelled, bolting upstairs before Emma had a say so. Jack and Lindsey shared a room now, although Emma often slept in the bedroom with thw two, leaving Manny the basement.

Emma turned her attentions back to Jay, as she sighed.

She cleared her throat. It had been at least a full minute since he'd asked. Perhaps even a minute and a half.

Jay sighed, looking down at his shoes. He glanced back up at her, "You don't have to say anything. But, I'll be at Mericello's at eight. There's no pressure, but if your late, your lasagna will be cold."

He smiled that sly smile, before taking Bella by the hand, instructing her to wave to Emma, as he lead her back down the street.

Emma watched their retreating forms, sighing to herself. That same sly smile was what had initially attracted her to him, as well as that cocky attitude.

She smirked, shutting the door softly. So he still remembered she loved Mericello's lasagna. That had to count for something.

"Manny?" she whispered, not expecting an answer.

"Hm?" came her reply, her head coming around the corner of the hallway that lead upstairs. Emma's smirk grew. Leave to Manny to eavesdrop.

"Can you watch Lindsey at eight?" Emma asked hopefully, smiling at Manny.

Manny grinned, waving a bottle around the corner. She came out from the hallway, Lindsey cradled in one arm, and Jack clutching onto her leg as she walked.

He looked like a panther clinging to a branch as he roared, Manny struggling to walk with the two of them.

"Already taken care of!" Manny said, still waving the bottle in her other hand.

Emma laughed, shaking her head and thanking god for Manny.


End file.
